Dialog Schools Rugby League launched at gala ceremony: Record 90 schools set for scrum down

Kamal Ariyasinghe, President of SLSRFA receiving the sponsorship package from Lasantha Thevarapperuma, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC flanked by officials of Dialog Axiata and SLSRFA.  

The captains defending champions St. Peter’s Vishenka Silva and last year’s runner-up Isipathana Thinethra Dodangoda posing with the Dialog Trophy   

By M. Shamil Amit  

The much looked forward to schools rugby tournament, the Dialog Axiata Schools Rugby League, was launched at the Lotus Hall, BMICH in Colombo on Tuesday in the presence of the officials of Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA), Dialog Axiata PLC, the main sponsor of the tournament, and captains of the 18 teams participating.  
This time there is a change in conducting the two main tournaments, the league and knockout tournaments, as the SLSRFA has taken a decision to first conduct the knockout tournament which normally has been played after the completion of the league tournament.  
The two tournaments will see 18 teams in the fray in both the league and knockout tournaments and there are two newcomers to the top division namely, Ananda College, Colombo and Mahanama College, Colombo, who both have been promoted from the lower division.  
The tournament will see a record 90 teams from three divisions in the fray vying for supremacy to lay their hands on the title. St. Peter’s the defending champions in both the league and knockout tournaments of the Division One.   
The knockout tournament is set to kick-off today with 18 teams divided into three groups comprising six in each group in action in the Division 1 Segment ‘A’.  
The teams in the top division are defending champions St. Peter’s along with D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, Wesley, Science College, Mt. Lavinia, St. Anthony’s and debutants Ananda in Group 1A while runners-up Isipathana along with S. Thomas’, Zahira, Colombo, Dharmaraja, Kandy, Kingswood and the debutants Mahanama, Colombo are the teams in Group 2A. Royal along with traditional rivals Trinity, Vidyartha, Kandy, St. Joseph’s, Sri Sumangala, Kandy and Thurstan are the six teams in Group 3A. However the two promoted teams Ananda and Mahanama will not be playing in the knockout tournament.  
Meanwhile, in the lower segment 62 teams will be in the fray comprising of 39 teams in the Division 1 segment ‘B’ and ‘C’. The Division 1 segment consist of 15 teams divided into five groups namely Prince of Wales, St. John’s, Nugegoda, Richmond, Maliyadeva, Sri Rahula, Katugastota, Carey College, Piliyandala Central, Sri Sumangala, Panadura, Nugawela Central, St. Benedict’s, St. Aloysius, Galle, Lalith Athulathmudali NS, Mt. Lavinia, Lumbini MV, St. Sylvester’s and Siri Piyaratana MMV, Padukka.  
Segment C comprises Dharmapala MV, Pannipitiya, St. Anne’s, Kurunegala, Thalduwa Buddhist College, Ibbagamuwa Central, CWW Kannangara MMV, Maharagama CC, Moratu MV, Bandaranayake Central Gampaha, St. Thomas, Matale, Royal, Panadura, Devapathiraja MMV, Rathgama and Asoka MV, Colombo.  
The Division 2 comprises 12 teams namely Kegalu Vidyalaya, Madeena NS. Madawala, Dudley Senanayake Central, President’s College, Rajagiriya, Nalanda, Colombo, St. Thomas’, Bandarawela, Mahinda, Galle, Debarawewa NS, Boys College Malabe, Eheliyagoda Central, President’s College, Mahara and Ruwanwella Central.  
In addition 23 teams will be competing in the Division 3 segment namely Zahira, Mawanella, Kandy Model School, Hewaheta Central, Wickramabahu Central, Rangiri Dambulla Central, Swarna Jayanthi NS, Sir John Kothalawala College, Kottawa Ananda MV, Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Vidura College, Dhambarawa MV, Girandurukotte Central, Haddaththawa Secondary School, Mahiyangana NS, Orubendiwewa Secondary School, Dehigoa MV, Badulla Central, Dharmadutha College, Sujatha MV, Sivali MV, Bandarawela, Dutugemunu NS and Wellassa Central.  
All these matches in the top and lower divisions are scheduled to be played concurrently.  
The Principal sponsor Dialog Axiata PLC has made arrangements to broadcast live the tournament on Dialog Television – The Papare TV (Channel number 126), Dialog VIU.